Building bridges

Democrats balked because they wanted more money for public transit; more than two dozen conservative Republicans withheld support because they did not want to raise the gasoline tax; and somehow the bill got tied to the governor’s liquor privatization proposal that went down in defeat, too.

So, let’s talk money.

Schoch said the average motorist, who drives 12,000 miles a year, would have paid $2 more per week under either the Corbett plan or the House Republican plan and $2.50 more per week under the Senate plan. On the other hand, rejection of transportation spending will still cost motorists. A recent report from TRIP, a national nonprofit research group, estimated that based on current (poor) road conditions the average PA driver will pay about $1,646 in annual auto repairs.

Perhaps the irony of this subject has not escaped you. The subject is about building bridges. It seems to us that there needs to be some bridge building in the PA legislature where, for far too long, ideology on both sides of the political aisle has interfered with conducting the necessary business of the public.

As far as the public is concerned, letting our infrastructure continue to deteriorate is no longer an option. Restricting weight limits may be a temporary measure that helps slow deterioration, but it is not a solution. Investing in infrastructure will help create jobs and support economic growth. It’s time for the obstructionist ideologues in Harrisburg to see infrastructure funding as a bipartisan issue that requires finding common ground—perhaps in the middle of a bridge.